Tape advancing and refracting means



Dec. '14, 1948. F. w. HEYEL 2,456,414

TAPE ADVANCING AND RETRACTING MEANS Filed Jan. 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Dec. 14, 1 948. F. w. HEYEL 2,456,414

TAPE ADVANCING AND-RETRACTING MEANS Filed 'Jan. 24, 1947 2 Sheets$heet 2ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .2,456,414TAPE ADVANCIN G AND RETRACTING MEANS Frederick W. Heyel, East signer toPitney-Bowe a corporation of Dela Port Chester, s, Inc., Stamford,Conn., Ware Conn., as-

Application January 24, 1947, Serial No. 723,915 5 Claims. (o1.101 235)In postage printing machines, also known as metered mail machines, arotary printing memher is adapted to print postage on letters which arefed horizontally through themachine, and is further adaptedto print on atape strip which is guided from a tape supply to the point of printingcontact between a rotary printing die and platen roller. After printing,the tape is advanced to a cutting position where the printed portion issevered from the strip. The tape is then retracted to return the leadingedge thereof to the printing position.

When printing is to be effected on letterspthe tape is retracted toremove the leading end away from the printing position.

Various types of tape control mechanism have been devised for thecontrol of tape units to perform the above operations. herein disclosed,improvement is provided in the form of simplified tape end locatingmeans, and of manipulative plunger control means for the release of aspring actuated tape feed sector from a normal tape printing position toa non-printing position. Among'other features, there is also in-- cludednovel means for providing 'a.-shorter retracting distance of movement ofthe tape than the advancing movement thereof after printing, to therebyprovide for a margin at the leading edge during the following printingoperation.

It is one object of the invention therefore to It is another'object towith a tape unit of the provide in combination class above mentioned,

manipulative plunger means to effect control of" the leading tape edge.

It is another object to provide a tape feed con- In the arrangementknown in theart.

. illustrated in y 2 maybe made within the scope of what is claimedwithout departing from the spirit of the inven tion.

.A preferred embodiment of the invention is the accompanying drawings,wherein;

1 is a front view showing a portion of a postage printing machine,including a tape unit with tape advancing and retracting mechanism;

guide fingers and tape feed handle removed;

Fig. 3 isa detail view showing the essential operation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to parts in a position assumed after theprinted p01- been retracted to a printing position; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts in the positionassumed after the manipulation of a depressible plunger, provided forthepurpose of releasing the tape mechanism. for the retraction of theleading tape edge to a position away from the path of letter feed.

of either letters or tape. Letters are passed along the surface of afeed plate l2, and whenin a proper relation to the. printing member H],a printing operation is eifected in a manner Well In the presentinvention'a tape control unit is provided for thepurpose of printingpostage upon tape at the same point of printing as the printingofpostage-upon letter Said tape control unit comprises a bracket [3,including side walls l4-' 14: secured to a bearing liwhich bearing issupported upon a shaft lfisecured to the base I! of the machine. Thefree end of the bracket I3 is biased toward the printing member Ill, the

side walls l4-l4 of said bracket I 3.

Tapeguide means is provided which comprises includes a stationary shearportion 25 and a ro-- W tary shear 26, side walls l4-l4 of the bracket[3. tail of the above named in Patent No. 2,141,119.

Cooperating with the above mechanism which comprises anupper tape, feedroller 21, fixed to a shaft 28, which shaft isrn oun-t ed in bearingswalls 14-14. An idler roller 3| is mounted on a shaft' 32,'supported'between th'e' walls 14-14 of the bracket 13, andcooper'ates withtheupper roller 21 to effect feeding and retraction of tape. Actuatormeans is provided for: controlling the drive of. the upper feed I rollerto either advance or retract the tape as required. Said means includesa-toOthed wheel-:33, which is freely mounted'on the'shaftazil, and aclutch 'collar 34, which is fixed" to. the: shaft 28. -Said clutchcollar 34 .is provided withdriven faces 35a-36'a, which are adapted tocooperate with drivingfaces 35-36 respectivelyiof a hub poi" tion 31,projectirlgfrom .the' toothed wheel"33.

each suitably mounted between the Further de- As viewed ingFigs. 3 ands,it will be noted that a space- 38 is provided between the upper faces35-35a, and that in Fig. 5.the space is indicated between the lowerfaces 36-36a. A spring 40, secured to the members 33':and 34,normally reffects the spacing.38.-

' 1 Another tooth wheel 39 is axed to the shaft 28, adjacentthetdothedwheel 33'. i

A toothed section 4| is 'freely mounted upon a stud 42, which studprojects outwardly from the front wall to move in a counter-clockwisedirection by means of a coil spring 431 Ahandle 44 is fixed on a hub 45projecting from said sector;

-:Within the face ofthe toothed sectoris an arcuate slot 45, the ends4511 and provide sector positioning when engaged i by a stop plunger46,projecting therethrough; Saidstop plunger 46 is slidably mounted inbearings 41-41, projecting from the walls [4-14, and

is normally urged in an outward direction by means of a coil spring 48.An enlarged diametral plunger 46, projects within the slot 45,:and whenthe tape unit is in the normalntape' operating position in Figs. 1 and3, thesend 45 is urged against the projecting portion.'49.t 7.

Projecting forwardly the stop plunger 46 is another portion 5! ofnarrower diameter, which narrower portion is adapted to coact' with anarcuate slot:..52 'con-. tinuing from the right end :ofthe slot l45, .asWhen therefore, theplunger viewed from Fig. 1. 46 is depressedsufficiently 150 remove'ither larger diameter portion 49 beyondthev'slot 45, :the nar rower'diameter portion. 5l,,being. in'the path ofthe narrower slot 52, will allow the toothed sector 4| to'be-urgedcountereclockwise by-the coil spring 43, until the plungerstop' portion51' is engaged by the end of the narrowerslot 52.- 'See The toothedsector'zfl has two. toothed poris a tape control" [4 of the bracketl3,"and is urged '45b of which I 45b of said slot 160 beyond the portion:49 of T l portion 49 ofthe stop nected with erally indicated at 58,Figs. 1

' and assuming that 'wouldbein the position shown in Fig.

tions, one provided at 53 directly on the sector plate 4|, which isadapted to mesh with the free toothed wheel 33, and an offset toothedportion 54 which is adapted to mash with the fixed toothed wheel 39.

A cutter acuating lever 55 is pivotally supported on a stud 55projecting from the front wall l4, and hasi'a lug "'51 projectingtherefrom and in the path of oneedge-of the offset toothed portion 54.The free end of the lever 55 is conthe rotary cutter blade 26, as genand 4.

the operation of the device, v the tape unit is in a position for theprinting of postage on tape, the parts 1, with the, leading tape edge ina position to be engaged by the printing die D of the rotary printerReferring now to H3. The'printing operation is next effected, as

indicated in Fig. 3, which results in the feeding or thetape whileprinting. It will benoted that thef'sector toothed-portions 53. and MarcpositiOned-toithe left and right respectively of the. toothed wheels 33and 39,'as viewed'in Fig. l, therebyrpermitting free movement ofthe-tape between'the tape'feedro'ller 21 and idlerroller 3! whileprinting is effected. w

= 'Atthe end of a printing operation, the printed portion of the tapeis" advanced through the cutter blades 25, 25 by depressing the handle44, the feed of the tape being effected when the toothed portion 53 ofthe sector-4i moves into engagement with the toothed wheel 33 and drivessame in the direction of the arrow Fig. 4. Upon the engagement of theplunger portion 49 with the end 45a of the 'arcuate slot 45, theedge ofthe offset toothed portion 54 of the sector will have engaged andeffected rocking of the cutter actuator lever 55, thereby causing thesevering of the printed portion of the tape from the tape strip;

Return of the leading tape'edge is" effected by action of the returnspring 43, when the handle 44 is released, the tape edge returning to aposition slightly in advance of mentby'the printing die D. I Thisslightly advanced position provides'for a desired margin at the leadingtape end sequent postage impression. To produce this margin, thepreviously stated spacing arrangement of the clutchfaces 'of clutchcollar 34 relative to the driving faces of the hub portion 31 isutilized.

Referring a Fig. 3, it will be noted that 'the 35-3511 are spa-ced'apartand that upper faces the lower faces 36-36a are in engagement. Inasmuchas the hub 31 is the driving member, the clutch collar 34 will be:driven in a counterclockwise direction when the handle 44 .isdepressed, thereby effecting a like rotation of the tape feed'wheel" 21.This action,"which occurs afterprinting, will effect movement of thetape from the position of Fig. 3, to the cut-off position of Fig. 4.

When the handle 44 is released, and the direction of. rotation of thedriving hub3l is reversed, to effect the return of the leading tape endto a printing position, the initial motion of 'the hub portion 31 willnot effect the drive of the clutch collar 34 until the driving face35'moves the distance of the space 38 to engage the face 35:; of theclutch collar 34. This movement'allows a portion of the driving motionto be effected'be-' tween the toothed portion 53 and the point of engagebefore printing of the sub.-

tape'fe'ed. Hence, the lead ins and of the tape is moved-a.shorterdista-nce during retraction than during advancement, whichleaves the leading tape end slightly in ad.- Vanee of the printingposition.

is desired to print postage. impressions upon lettersy-instant removalof the leading tape end away from thepr-inting position is adapted to beeffected upon depressing the plunger 46. 'I'helatter' operation movesthe projection 49 out of engagement with the arcuate slot 45 and thuscauses the spring 143 to move thesector 4| in a counter-clockwisedirection from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6. During saidmovement the offset toothed portion 54 will engage and drive the toothedwheel 39 in a clockwise direction, the latter being fixed to the shaft28, as previously stated. The upper feed roller 21 is thus driven in aclockwise direction to retract the leading tape end to a position awayfrom the point of printing and clear of the path of letter feed.

Return of the tape to a printing position is effected, when againdesired, by depressing the handle 44. A reverse drive between thetoothed.

segment 54 and toothed wheel 39 will move the tape the same distanceforward as the distance retracted. The projection 49, will upon becomingaligned with the arcuate slot, re-engage the slot to provide the properstop relative to the slot end 451). To prevent overthrow of the sector4!, before the plunger is returned to its normal extended position, astop 58 is provided at the lower right end of the ofiset toothed portion54. Said stop 58 will bear against the peripheral surface 59 of anotherportion the stop plunger 46, which surface is of a larger diameter thanthe portion 49. When the projection 49 has been projected the fulldistance through the slot 45, the stop 58 will be clear of the surface59, as seen in Fig. 2.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printingmember arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the sameprinting position; of tape advancing and retracting devices comprising,a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and including a toothedmember connected therewith, an idler roller cooperating with the feedroller, a toothed sector adapted to mesh with the toothed member toeffect rotation of the feed roller and including hand control meanstherefor to eifect movement of the sector in one direction, meansnormally urging said sector in an opposite direction, said sector havingone stop means associated therewith to limit the return thereof and ofthe leading tape edge to a printing position, a depressible stop plungerhaving one portion arranged to engage the said sector stop means when inthe latter named position, and a second stop means associated with saidsector and cooperating with said depressible stop when depressed toprovide additional sector and tape movement.

2. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printingmember arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the sameprinting position; of tape advancing and retracting devices comprising,a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and including a toothedmember connected therewith, an idler roller cooperating with the feedroller, a toothed sector adapted to mesh with the toothed member toeffect rotation of the feed roller and including hand control meanstherefor to eifect movement of the sector in one direction, meansnormally urging said sector in an opposite direction, said sector havingLil an arcuate slot therein, a depressible stop plunger protectingthrough said slot and coacting withthe ends of the slotto limitthestroke of the sector in .either direction, a narrower arcuate slotcon.- tinuingfromthe first named slot, and a projection on said plungerhaving a reduced diameter which will engage the narrower slot and allowadditional movement ofthe sector and tape when the plunger is depressed.

.3. In a letter and tape printing and tape cutting device, thecombination with a rotary printing member arranged to print'impressionsupon let-.- ters or tape at the same point of printing and to advancethe tape while printing; of tape advancing and retracting devices toadvance the tape to a cutting position after printing then return theleading tape edge to a printing position after cutting respectively andcomprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of the tape and includinga toothed member rotatable therewith, an idler roller cooperating withthe feed roller, a toothed sector adapted to mesh with the toothedmember to effect rotation of the feed roller and includin hand controlmeans therefor to eifect movement of the sector in one direction, aspring connected with the toothed sector to normally urge said sector inan opposite direction, said sector having an arcuate slot therein, aspring returned depressible stop plunger projecting through said slotand coacting with the ends of the slot to limit the stroke of the sectorin either direction and to thereby control the position of the tapeedge, a narrower arcuate slot continuing from the first named slot, anda projection on said plunger having a reduced diameter which will engagethe narrower slot and allow additional movement of the sector and tapewhen the plunger is depressed to a position placing the reduced portionin alignment with the narrower slot, thereby causing the sector to movethe leading tape edge to a position away from the printing point.

4. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printingmember arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the sameprinting position and means for cutting the tape; of tape advancing and.retracting devices comprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of thetape and including a toothed member connected therewith, an idler rollercooperating with the feed roller, a driving toothed sector adapted tomesh with the toothed member and including hand control means thereforto effect movement of the sector in one direction to advance the tape toa cutting position after the printing thereof, means normally urgingsaid sector in an opposite direction, said sector having stop meanscooperating with a relatively fixed stop to limit the return of theleading tape edge to a printing position, and a lost motion drivebetween the driving sector and roller operable to effect a predeterminedmovement of the sector and toothed member before the feed roller isrotated, whereby the return movement of the tape becomes less than theadvance movement thereof to thereby provide a margin at the leading tapeedge when printing is again effected.

5. In a letter and tape printing device, the combination with a printingmember arranged to print impressions upon letters or tape at the sameprinting position and means for cutting the tape; of tape advancing andretracting devices comprising, a feed roller engaging one surface of thetape and including a'toothed member connected therewith, an idler rollercooperating with the feed roller, a driving toothed sector adapted toprinting'positio'n, and a, 10st motion drive between the driving sectorand roller operable to effect a predetermined movement of the sector andtoothed member before?the feed roller is rotated, whereby the returnmovement of the tape becomes less than the advance movement thereof tothereby provide a margin at the leading tape edge when printing is againeffected.

FREDERICK W. HEYEL.

, No references cited.

